Mail-bag catching and delivering apparatus.



W. LE CLAIR, JR.

MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1912,

1,050,064. Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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wi/liwzoow W. LE CLAIR, JR. MAIL BAG GAT'OHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1912.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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q viiweooeo W. LE CLAIR, JR. MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1912.

1,050,064, Patented Jan.7, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3v W Le Claim/ r, I/RHimeooeo COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH 04, WASHINGTON, D. c.

WILLIAM LE CLAIR, 3B,, OF DELPHIA, MONTANA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

Application filed July 30, 1912. Serial No. 712,334.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TILLIAM Ln CLAIR, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delphia, in the county of Musselshell and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Bag Catching and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in mail bag catchers and deliverers and has for its primary object to provide an im proved construction of the bag holding arms whereby the bag will be properly held in position to be received upon the receiving arm, and liability of injury to the arms by the impact of the same with the bag is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for mounting the bag holding arms upon the side of a mail car, and a holding device to retain the arms in their extended positions.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a spring steel bag supporting arm and means carried by the arm to absorb the vertical vibratory movement thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide mail catching and delivering means adapted to be arranged upon the side of a mail car and adjacent to the track, which consists of comparatively few elements of simple and inexpensive construction, and are also very durable and highly efficient in practical use.

With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the mail bag holding and receiving arms mounted upon the side of a mail car; Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the car device: Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the pivotally mounted bag holding plate or finger; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bag holding and receiving crane which is located adjacent to the railway track; Fig. 6 is a top plan View thereof; Fig. 7 is a detail longitudinal section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the locking device for the bag holding arms. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the releasing lever, and Fig. 10 is a similar view of the bag receiving hook.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the accompanying drawings by like reference characters. Referring in detail to the drawings C designates a car such as is provided for use in the railway mail service. This car is provided with a door or opening in its side wall at one side of which my improved mail bag holding and receiving arms are adapted to be arranged.

A pair of arms are provided, said arms being constructed from spring steel. Each of the arms 5 tapers longitudinally and at its wider end the arm is obtusely inclined with relation to the body portion thereof as shown at 6. These inclined end portions of the arms 5 are fixed upon a perpendicular rod or shaft 7 The lower end of this shaft is reduced and is seated in the socket of a bearing plate 8 which is fixed upon the door sill. The upper end of the shaft 7 is also reduced and disposed through apertures pro vided in the parallel ears formed upon the bracket 9 which is fixed to one edge of the door opening adjacent its upper end. The upper arm 5 is disposed between the ears 10 and secured upon the shaft or rod 7. The inclined end portion 6 of each bag holdmg arm has a laterally extending lug or projection 11 formed thereon. These lugs are of substantially triangular form in plan and are each provided adjacent its apex with a rectangular opening to receive the upper squared end of a connecting rod 12. This rod is also provided with reduced threaded extensions to receive the nuts 13 wherebv the arms 5 are securely held upon the ends of said rod. To the side of the car and adjacent the door opening a keeper block 1 1 is secured and is provided with a lug or shoulder 15 for engagement by the free end of a holding latch spring 16, the other end of which is fixed to the lateral extension 11 of the upper bag supporting arm 5. Upon this extension of the arm ad- =jacent to the latch plate 16 a lever 17 is fulc'rumed. This lever is provided upon one end with a depending stud 18 which is disposed between the edge of the lug 11 and the intermediate portion of the latch plate 16. It will thus be apparent that by simply moving the lever 17 in the proper direction, the free end of the plate 16 may be forced outwardly oil of the shoulder 15 of the keeper block to release the arms 5 so that the same may be swung inwardly into the car door opening into convenient position for the operator to attach the mail bag or sack to the outer ends of said arms.

The outer ends of the arms 5 are bitur- 'ated to provide spaced cars 19 between which the pivoted mail bag receiving lingers or plates 20 are arranged. These bag receiving plates are mounted in each of the arms 5 in a similar manner, and the pivot pin 21 which connects the cars 19 is disposed centrally through the plate. The outer end portion 22 of the plate 20 is angularly disposed with relation to the arm 5. To this angular end portion of the plate one end of a leaf spring 23 is secured. The other end of this spring is bent or curved as at 23 and extends downwardly, the estremity of said bent end of the spring 23 engaging the edge of the angular portion 22 of the plate. It will thus be seen that when the ring or loop upon the mail bag or sack is disposed upon the inner end of the spring, as shown in Fig. 1, the same will be retained in position between the upper and lower arms 5 against accidental release as might be occasioned by the swinging 0r swaying of the car as it moves around curves in the track. The plates 20 are yieldingly held against pivotal movement by means of the spring plates 2 1 which are secured at one of their ends to the edges of the upper and lower arms 5 and extend at their free ends upon one edge of the plates 20 and bear against the same at a point directly opposite the pivot pins 21. whereon said plates are mounted. These spring plates 2% further serve to retain the bag in position and obviate liability of its loss.

To one edge of the upper bag holding arm 5 and at a point adjacent the extension or lug 11 thereof, one end of a plate 25 is fixed. This plate extends along the edge of the arm 5 the greater portion of its length and at its free end is provided with the spaced ears 26. These ears are disposed above and below the arm 5 and in spaced relation thereto. A bolt 27 extends through the arm 5 and connects the cars 26. Upon this bolt between the cars 26 and the arm the coil springs 28 are arranged, and are adapted to absorb the vertical vibratory movement of the arm 5 caused by the downward pull thereon in the removal of the mail bag or sack. Thus liability of the comparatively flexible narrow outer end portion of the arm 5 being broken reac es by excessive vibration thereof will. be eliminated.

At one side of the railway track a mail bag supporting and receiving crane is adapted to be arranged to support the mail bag which is to be received upon the arms carried by the mail car and to also receive a bag from said arms. This crane includes a suitable base structure 29 having a hollow central standard 30 to receive the lower end oi a stall or upright 31. Upon this stall or upright 31 the spaced bag holding arms 32 are rigidly scoured at one of their ends. These arms extend laterally in a horizontal plane from the upright 31 and are also termed oi. spring steel and taper to their free ends in a similar manner to the previously described bag holding arms 5. In the outer ends of the arms 32 the bag receiving plates or fingers 33 are pivotally mounted and the bent springs 3st are associated therewith, said springs and plates corresponding to the springs 23 and plates 22 previously described in connection with the arm 5 carried by the mail car. Upon the outer ends of the arms 32 and to each edge thereot the spring plates 35 are fixed at one of their ends and bear at their free ends upon opposite sides of the pivoted fingers or plates 33 thereby normally retain ing said plates in line with the arms 32.

A mail bag receiving member or arm 36 is arranged upon the lower arm 32 and is adjustable with relation thereto to extend in inclined divergent relation from the same upon either side thereof. This arm is provided in its inner end with a pivot stud or bolt 37 which is seated in a socket formed in. the collar 38 fixed upon the upright or standard 31. A brace bar 39 is rigidly secured at one of its ends to the member 36 and the other end thereof is pivotally mounted as at tO upon the under side of the arm To the inner end of the arm the spring latch member ll is secured. This latch member is provided with lugs 42 on its ends to engage the arm. 32 when the same is swung upwardly and disposed upon either side or" the arm 32.

Intermediate of the ends of the member 35 the same is provided with a hook 43 into which the mail bag is adapted to move. This hook is provided with fingers 44 projecting from opposite sides thereof which engage and limit the movement of the mail bag. The member 36 is engaged by the central portion of the bag arranged between the ends of the arms projecting from the side of the mail car and as the car moves past the mail crane, the bag will be removed from said projecting arms and the impactof the same against the member 36 will cause the bag to move inwardly into the hook as from which the same may be removed. At the same time, the bag held be tween the arms 32 is engaged by the upper arm 5 of the mail car which extends outwardly at an inclination from the car door. This bag moves inwardly upon the arm 5 and falls from the same upon the floor of the car.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manner of operation of my improved mail bag catching and delivering device will be clearly understood. The mail bags or sacks may be easily and quickly arranged in position upon the outer ends of the arms and retained in proper position to be engaged by the complementary receiving arms. The mail bags may be received upon the arms carried by the mail car while the train is running at a high speed without liability of injury to said arms of the bag receiving crane arranged at the side of the track. Owing to the comparatively few elements employed in the construction above disclosed, it will be obvious that the device may be produced at comparatively small cost, and any of the various elements readily replaced when unfit for use. lVhile I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts employed, it will be understood that the invention. is susceptible of considerable modification without departing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a mail bag catching and delivering apparatus, a resilient arm, bag holding means mounted upon one end of the arm, a plate fixed to said arm and having spaced port-ions disposed upon opposite sides of the arm, and yieldable elements arranged between the spaced portions of the plate and said arm to absorb the vibration of the arm when the bag is removed.

2. In a mail bag catching and delivering apparatus, upper and lower spring arms, means mounted upon the corresponding ends of said arms to detachably retain a mail bag in position between the arms, and means mounted upon the upper arm to absorb the vibration thereof.

3. In a mail bag catching and delivering apparatus, upper and lower spring arms, mail bag retaining means mounted upon the corresponding ends of said arms, a longitudinally extending plate fixed at one of its ends to the upper arm, and yieldable means arranged between the free end of said plate and the arm to absorb the vibratory movement thereof when the mail bag is removed.

4. In a mail bag supporting and deliver-- in a 3 Jaratus u er and lower s rin arms means mounted upon the corresponding ends of said arms to det-achably retain the mail bag in position thereon, a longitudinally extending plate fixed at one end to the upper arm, the free end of said plate being provided with ears extending upon opposite sides of the arm, and springs interposed between said ears and the arm to absorb the vibration of the arm when the mail bag is removed.

5. In a mail bag receiving and delivering apparatus, upper and lower spring arms having vertical vibratory movement, means arranged upon the corresponding ends of the arms to retain a mail bag thereon, a lon gitudinally extending-plate fixed at one end to one of the longitudinal edges of the upper arm, the other end of said plate being provided with spaced cars extending above and below the arms, a bolt connecting said ears and movable through the arm, and coil springs arranged upon said bolt between the ears and the arm to absorb the vertical vibratory movement of the arm when the mail bag is removed.

6. In a mail bag catcher, upper and lower spring arms, mail bag receiving plates mounted upon vertical pivot-s in the outer ends of said arms, leaf springs associated with said plates and opposed thereto to detachably hold the bag in position upon the plates, and longitudinally extending spring plates secured at one of their ends to the arms and bearing at their free ends against the pivoted bag holding plates to yieldably hold said plates against pivotal movement.

7. In a mail bag catcher, upper and lower spring arms, plates mounted in the corre sponding ends of said arms for horizontal pivotal movement, said plates having up wardly inclined portions, means associated with said plates and opposed to the inclined portions thereof to detachably retain the mail bag upon the plates, and longitudinally extending leaf springs fixed at one of their ends to the arms and bearing upon said pivoted plates to yieldingly hold the same against pivotal movement.

8. In a mail bag catcher, upper and lower spring arms adapted to be pivotally mounted at one of their ends upon a car for horizontal swinging movement, said arms tapering to their free ends, means mounted upon the free ends of said arms to detachably retain a mail bag thereon, said arms being provided with triangular lateral extensions adjacent their pivoted ends, a perpendicular rod connecting the extensions of the upper and lower arms, a keeper secured to the side of the car, a spring latch plate mounted upon the triangular extension of the upper arm to engage said keeper and hold the bag supporting arms in their extended positions, and a lever mounted upon the extension of the upper arm and provided with a stud disposed between said extension and the latch member and adapted to disengage said latch member from the keeper to permit the arms to be swung inwardly.

9. In a mail bag catching and delivering apparatus, a resilient arm pivotally mounted at one end upon a car for horizontal swinging movement, means on the free end of the arm to detachably retain a mail bag thereon, a plate having spaced portions disposed above and below said arm adjacent to the free end thereof, and springs arranged between the spaced portions of the plate and said arm to absorb the vibration of the arm when the mail bag is removed.

10. A mail bag receiver comprising a standard, a horizontally disposed arm fixed thereon, a bag receiving member obliquely disposed with relation to the arm and pivotally mounted at one of its ends upon said standard beneath the arm whereby said member may be swung upon either side of thearm and into the plane thereof, and means mounted upon the arm to lock said member in position on either side of the arm.

11. A mail bag receiver comprising a standard, a horizontal arm fixed upon the standard, a bag receiving member pivotally mounted at one end upon the standard in divergent relation to the arm, and brace bars fixed to said member at one of its ends and pivotally mounted at its other end upon the under side of said arm, and means carried by the arm to engage said brace bar and support the receiving member in position upon either side of the arm and in the horizontal plane thereof.

12. A mail bag receiver comprising a standard, a horizontal arm fixed thereon, a bag receiving member pivotally mounted upon the standard beneath the said arm and extending in divergent relation to the arm, said member being provided with a bag receiving hook intermediate of its ends, a brace bar fixed at one end to said receiving memher and pivotally mounted at its other end upon the under side of said arm, and supporting members mounted upon the arm to engage said receiving member and supportthe same upon either side of the arm and in the horizontal plane thereof.

13. A mail bag receiver comprising a standard, a horizontally disposed arm fixed thereon, a bag receiving member pivotally 0 mounted upon the under side of said arm for swinging movement to position the same in the horizontal plane of said arm, and a spring catch carried by the arm to lock said member in its operative position with relation thereto.

14. A mail bag receiver comprising in. combination with a fixed horizontally disposed arm, a bag receiving member pivotally mounted at one end upon the under side of said arm, said member being provided with an obliquely disposed brace also pivotally mounted upon the under side of the arm, and means mounted upon the arm to engage said member adjacent to its pivoted end and lock the same in an elevated position and in the horizontal plane of said arm.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LE CLAIR, JR. l/Vitnesses M. C. LYDDANE, G120. S. Lrvmosron.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G. 

